Kashmiri youth have surat and seerat

The 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) organised a day-long conference on “Enhancing the Pride of Jammu and Kashmir State” at Badamibagh, Srinagar, on April 27, 2012. Army officers posted both within and outside Kashmir participated, and the then Northern Command chief delivered the inaugural speech. Students from the University of Kashmir and other colleges also attended. It was a rare occasion where young boys and girls were given the freedom to openly discuss the issues confronting them. During the question–answer session, the young officers spoke about their experiences in Kashmir in dealing with human and state security concerns. Much was gained, and a great deal of ground was covered.

The fact remains that where there is secrecy, youth suspect conspiracy. The remedy lies in more conversation and less secrecy.

Discussion at 15 Corps

By the end of the conference, the discussants largely agreed that while the Indian state must engage in bridge-building to remove the trust deficit in Centre–State relations, the youth of Kashmir must also come forward and become part of the larger Indian success story.

This was also a period when many Kashmiri students had begun cracking the Indian Civil Services Examination, some even securing top ranks. The panellists—senior bureaucrats, retired army officers, and academics—agreed that the shift in Kashmir must be from the critical domain to the psychological domain, which is people-specific and fundamentally youth-centric.

Many officers addressed the students directly, saying that they possessed both “Surat” and “Seerat” (Appearance and Essence) and could help guide Kashmir towards new heights. They assured them that transformation was knocking at their door.

It was also agreed that the real “work under construction” is the mind of the youth, and that we must move from the physical plane to the mind plane—from roadmaps to mind maps. The dying Kashmiriyat must be safeguarded, and the youth are its first custodians.

These recollections resurfaced in my mind when, on November 10, 2025, the Red Fort blast resulted in the death of many innocent people. The incident and its aftermath have severely dented the resolve displayed earlier, such as during the events in Pahalgam.

While we always feared that confidence-building measures could be reversed under certain circumstances, we never imagined a complete breakdown in conversations. It is worth reflecting, even briefly, on the reactions of young Kashmiris who, despite imperfections in India’s democratic project, had decided to work for what was possible and fruitful within the Indian development story.

Reactions of Youth

Student leader Nasir Khuehami and his colleague recently wrote about the situation following the Red Fort incident. They believe that the entire population is now “apologetic and anaesthetised, or forcefully ever-grateful.” After the blast, they note, every Kashmiri is under a glare of suspicion. During the Pahalgam incident, there was unprecedented condemnation of terror, and a security official described it as a “watershed moment,” yet the state’s response remained “nasty and poor.” Political orphanage is widespread in Kashmir, and the political space remains severely limited.

These impressions come from students who, in recent years, have actively fought for their democratic rights and have grown up largely outside Kashmir. They are also the voices of young people who deliberately chose to explore the promises and possibilities of the Indian democratic project.

They also trusted the Prime Minister, who, on National Panchayat Day in April 2022, assured them:
“I want to tell the youth of J&K to have faith in my words. You will not see the miseries witnessed by your parents and grandparents. I promise I will make it happen.”

Earlier, the Prime Minister spoke of reducing the “Dil ki aur Dilli se dooriyan.” J&K leaders left that meeting with mild optimism. Yet at least three prominent leaders, heading major political parties, now fear that the Red Fort blast has left the wound open.

Chief Minister’s Frightening Remarks

The Chief Minister recently stated at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit:
“I learnt about the Delhi blasts from newspapers and do not know anything about the investigations. Earlier the DGP would have immediately informed me.”

He also cited orders from some state governments asking all foreigners and Kashmiri Muslims to register at the nearest police station. Kashmiri parents, businessmen, students, and even patients now feel targeted. The Chief Minister remarked that driving a vehicle with a Kashmir number plate “is like a crime,” and that in Delhi, he can sometimes be questioned if travelling without security.

These remarks, coming from a CM who once presided over Unified Headquarters meetings, reveal the fragile political situation. At UC Berkeley, the same leader once told an audience that Kashmir had, at one point, been fighting militants from sixteen nationalities. This information must have been shared with him in security review meetings.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the Delhi incident left her “shivering.” Many young Kashmiris fear mistreatment when they leave the region. Sajjad Lone of the People’s Conference stated that harassment is not new but its intensity has increased over the last decade.

These reactions from moderate, mainstream, and forward-looking leaders—whose parties have strong grassroots presence—are deeply alarming. Their frustrations have broader implications, contributing to declining public confidence and  potentially creating a “trust trap” and a crisis of leadership.

Thus, the essential question is: What must be done for recovery and reconciliation?

Re-imagining the Institution of Dialogue

A horizontal, decentralised, and locally-rooted dialogue process is urgently needed. Families must engage openly with their young members. Political parties, civil society organisations, schools, and colleges must also create meaningful channels of communication with the youth.

Institutional heads must build and facilitate dialogue platforms. We must employ what Rudyard Kipling called his “six honest serving men”—what, why, when, how, where, and who. Using this method, many hidden concerns can be identified and addressed. This is what many refer to as a “whole-of-nation” approach.

It is encouraging that Mehbooba Mufti recently initiated such conversations at the party level. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also met and agreed on the need for dialogue and mutual understanding for peace. They acknowledged that injustice and disempowerment fuel radicalisation.

International Relations scholar Diego Muro reminds us that radicalisation progresses through distinct stages and “happens neither quickly nor easily.” This is precisely why all of us must do our homework.

Reviving the Economy

The J&K government currently has outstanding liabilities of ₹4,468 crore towards retired employees, including GP Fund, gratuity, commutation, and leave salary. Approximately 3.61 lakh educated unemployed youth are registered with employment exchanges across J&K, though the true number—including the underemployed and those no longer registering—is far higher.

The most distressing factor is the stagnation in government recruitment. Nearly one lakh daily wagers await decisions from the Chief Secretary–headed committee. Government spending is at an all-time low.

Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu notes that over the past six years, the economy has deteriorated further—income growth has slowed, inflation is higher, unemployment has increased, and credit availability is low, leading to a capital-scarce environment. Government liabilities have surged and loans have increased fivefold, despite growth in the state’s own revenues.

Reviving the economy must therefore be a top priority to ensure social stability and inclusive growth. Kashmir needs a complete economic reset—one that promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods. Excessive dependence on the Centre can be perceived as a vulnerability, and within a realist IR framework, may even increase the potential for distrust and conflict.

This dependence must be reduced, and the local economy strengthened, so that a new development story can be written on a clean slate.

Prof Gull Wani is Kashmir based Political Scientist